Egan called from Germany to find out how his teammates had done and received the disheattening news of a 60-53 Tiger victory.

"One of the guys told me that he had problems with it." Said Egan, "It hutts me it someone thinks I abandoned the team."

Many of Egan's Fellow swimmers stand behind his pursuance of what is, for any athlete, a lite long dream.

"Pete had a chance to represent the United States in international competition. It I was in his position, I would have done the same thing said junior Lats Reterson.

Egan is a champion, and champions are made through hard work. He has spent his last two summers hundreds of miles from his home in Kansas City, training under Bernal Cambridge.

Egan works out with the team twice a day beginning with an icy winter walk across the Charles to Blodgett Pool for a 6:30 workout.

"He helps out not so much with leadership, but with his example and dedication." says Kornish.

Year-round training, swimming laps while most other students sleep, spending summers away from home and being weighed down by the constant pressure to produce-is it all worth it."

To answer that question. Egan remembers the 1984 Eastern Championships. Harvard had a narrow lead entering the final event--the 200-meter butterfly. Egan silently crouched on the block, carrying the burden of the team's success or failure alone.

"This may sound hackneyed, but it really makes you dig deep down," said Egan.

After claiming the race in record time, Egan hung onto the side of the pool amid his teammates' cheers--knowing it had all been worth it.

"Egan had a rough sophomore year that included some roommate problems, but the thing he remembers most is the victory in the Easterns.

"A year that was a total disaster can become," says Egan, "in less than five minutes, a total success."